Memorial tablet mounting



c. HOPKINS MEMORIAL TABLET MQUNTING- July 9, 1940.

Filed April 17, 1939 BIOGRAPHY i HEfiJRICKS JOHN 1 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII; VIII/III, 1),,

Ill

Patented Jul 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE MEIVIORI-AL TABLET MOUNTING Robert C. Hopkins,Al.liance, Ohio Application April '17,

Claims.

The invention relates to memorial tablets and more especially to means for mounting such tablets in a cemetery or similar place.

Modern memorial parks or cemeteries do not permit the use of monuments and head stones,

but permit only flat tablets laid flush with the grass line, thus greatly facilitating the mowing of the lawn and presenting a more uniform appearance.

The object of the present invention is to provide a mounting for a flat memorial tablet in a position flush with the surrounding lawn.

Another object is to provide such amounting in the form of a box adapted to be embedded in the ground, the memorial tablet being hinged to said box and forming a lid or cover therefor, the box and tablet thus forming a closed receptaole for ornamental vases or other articles used around a cemetery plot.

A further object is to provide means for attaching a vase to the box by means of a chain or the like, and to provide for excluding water from entering the box through the opening through which the chain is passed.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawing and following description, or which may be later referred to, may be attained by constructing the improved memorial tablet mounting in the manner illus- 30 trated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a memorial tablet and mounting constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2, a bottom plan view of the memorial tablet proper, or cover for the mounting; and

Fig. 3, a transverse. vertical sectional View through the improved tablet and mounting, taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Similar numerals refer to throughout the drawing.

The improved mounting for the tablet includes a box which may be formed of cast metal or the like comprising the bottom wall It), side walls II and end walls l2.

The box is adapted to be embedded in the ground, as shown in Fig. 3, and may have "depending bosses l3 upon its bottom wall to which may be attached the foundation poles I4 embedded in the concrete foundation l5 so as to solidly mount the box in position in the ground.

A lid or cover for thebox is formed'in the shape of a bronze tablet I6 having the inclined edge portions H extending beyond the area of the box.

This tablet may be hinged at one side edge similar parts 1939, Serial No. 268,171

to the upper portion of one side wall I I as by the hinges I8 and the inclined edges I1 preferably terminate in the down-turned flanges l9, thus entirely covering the box and preventing surface water from entering the same.

The top surface of the memorial tablet or cover l6 may have any desired ornamentation thereon, as shown at 20 and may have the name of the deceased, as shown at 2| and the year of birth and death as indicated at 22 and 23 re- 10 spectively.

Since memorial tablets such as are now coming into use do not usually contain any extensive biography of the deceased but, merely the name and dates as shown, an auxiliary tab 15 let as indicated at 24 is adapted to be attached to the under side of the lid or tablet l6 containing the biography or any desired information.

This auxiliary tablet may be secured to the depending lugs 25 as by screws 26 or the like.

The tablet or cover It) ordinarily remains in closed position, as best shown in Fig. 3, the box I thus forming a closed receptacle for ornamental vases or other articles used around a cemetery plot.

In order to prevent theft the vase 21, which is adapted to be housed within the box when not in use, the same may be connected to the inside of the box as by the chain 28.

This vase may have depending shank 29 adapt- 30 ed to be received in a pipe or tube 30 embedded in the ground near the box when the vase is in use.

When not in use the vase 21 may be placed within the box, the chain 28 being received 35 through the slot 3| of the upper portion of the adjacent side wall H, a catch basin 32 being formed at this point to prevent surface water from draining into the box.

I claim:

1. A memorial tablet mounting including a box open only upon its top side, adapted tobe embedded in the earth, a cover hinged at one edge to one edge of the top opening of the box and extending beyond the area of the box, the top 45 surface of the cover forming a memorial tablet, depending lugs upon the under side of the cover and an'auxiliary tablet mounted upon the depending lugs on the under side of the cover.

2. A memorial tablet mounting including a 50 box open only upon its top side, adapted to be embedded in the earth, and a cover hinged at one edge to one edge of the top opening of the box and having angular, downwardly and outwardly inclined edge portions extending beyond wardly inclined edge portions extending beyond the area of the box and terminating in depending flanges, the top surface of the cover forming a memorial tablet, depending lugs upon the under side of the cover and an auxiliary tablet mounted upon the depending lugs on the under side of the cover.

4. A memorial tablet mounting including a box comprising a bottom wall, side walls and end walls, adapted to be embedded in the earth,

a cover hinged at one edge to the upper edge of one side wall, the other side wall having an opening at its upper edge, a chain located through said opening and connected to the box at one end, a vase connected to the other end of the chain, and a catch basin formed in the side wall below said opening.

5. A memorial tablet mounting including a box comprising a bottom wall, side walls and end walls, adapted to be embedded in the earth, a cover hinged at one edge to the upper edge of one side wall, the other side wall having an opening at its upper edge, a chain located through said opening and connected to the box at one end, a vase connected to the other end of the chain, and a catch basin formed in the side wall below said opening, and means on the bottom of the box for anchoring the box to a suitable foundation.

ROBERT C. HOPKINS. 

